‘The riding position is great for city commuting and the seat and tank interplay is perfect.’
Fifteen years ago (when i was still at school), my boss tested the Hero Honda glamour for first-ever comparative test. since then, many events have taken place in the glamour’s life-cycle. While the motorcycle from the pages of the 2005 magazine and the new one bear a lot of resemblance, they also display the evolution they underwent over time. for starters, the new one is friendlier to the polar ice caps and it no longer features “Honda” anywhere. that is because this is one of the latest products to emerge from Hero’s new facility full of brains — the global Centre of innovation and technology. Just how much has the glamour changed over the past 15 years?
even today, the Hero glamour’s objective remains the same — capture the 125-cc premium commuter segment — but it finds itself in the Bs6 generation of motorcycles. you know how you look at a father-son duo and think how remarkable it is that they are quite alike but still distinct at the same time? the same could be said of these two generations of the glamour. the new one wants no extra fat. it aims to be efficient and precise without any extra flair. its gorgeously sculpted tank is flanked by muscular shrouds that complement its shape without trying too hard. the side-panels are doused in gloss black and serve as a visual bridge between the front and tail sections. the latter, with its pseudo side scoops, chequered graphics, and curves, is still fairly reminiscent of the motorcycle from 15 years ago. the silver clutch and alternator covers contrast rather well with the blacked-out lower half of the motorcycle. the glamour does not get a spot of LeD lighting and that is hardly bad news because the headlamp illuminates the road well while the “H” logo in the tail-lamp makes it easily visible and distinct at the same time.
that is what the ed had to say about the first glamour and the same rings true even today and it also seats the pillion in reasonable comfort. not much has changed with the instrument cluster either. now it is a simple analogue-digital cluster that features a speedometer, odometer, trip meter, fuel-gauge, tell-tale lights, and the i3s light. the only piece of sophistication appears to be the real-time fuel-efficiency indicator.
speaking of fuel-efficiency, the i3s is rather useful to have if your route has stop-and-go traffic. Within 10 seconds of idling, the system cuts off the engine and when you pull in the clutch lever, it comes back to life again. it contributes to the fuel-saving efforts of the Bs6,